Saturday, October 22, 2005


Ouch!


My work offers free flu shots to all it's employees, so I decided to once again get my flu shot. This is my second year that I've gotten it. We sat and filled out a form. One of the questions asked, was have you ever had a reaction to fermaldahide, asbestos... and a couple of other things I can't remember right now. This made me jokingly speak out," does this mean that I'm going to be injected with those things." I got a few chuckles from others around the room, but as I started to think about it, I was a little nervous. Why would they even ask that question? It must be very important. Well it was my turn and I got shot with flu. Isn't that what it is. The medical team injects a strain of some flu or other into your system . What the...... I can't seem to make sense of this. Last year when I got the flu shot I survived. But how do we really know. Last night I was out with the girls from work and we were discussing this issue. My arm was really aching by this time. One of the girls said " I was talking to so and so today, and he said his friend had a flu shot and died a few days later from it." Gulp! Now that's a reaction. Another lady piped up " ya, last time I had a flu shot I walked over to my office and started to get really delerious. My husband had to come pick me up and I didn't know where I was. " Yikes! I started to think about what I had done earlier that day. I started to fell sicker by the minute. You know the mind is a powerful thing. I'm not a hyperchondriac, but I left the party early. When I got home I wasn't feeling too good. ( I'm sure it had nothing to do with the red wine, a margurita and a strong liquor that I consumed during the course of the evening.) I went straight to bed when I got home, convinced that I would be so sick from this flu shot. I slept really good( go figure) ! When I woke up I was fine. It had nothing to do with the flu shot. So far so good. There are so many mixed opinions about this flu shot business. My dad will never have one again cuz last time he had one he was so sick, he thought he might die. Well the rest of the family did any ways. He looked awful. Iv'e never seen daddy so sick. That was about 6 or 7 years ago. Others swear by this flu shot and get it every year. I don't know. What's your feeling on the subject? With me I took a chance and so far so good. ? But maybe the worst is yet to come?? How do you feel about the flu vaccinaton? Yes or no?

Tuesday, October 18, 2005


I have to write about one of my pet peaves. It's short people. Oh wait I fall under that category. Okay just being short can be a pain in the patootie. You know all the quotes. " Great things come in small packages." Or " Dynamite comes in small packages." Ya ya I've heard it all before. Sometimes it just plain sucks to be short! I had to go out to get a perscription filled today and needed to stop at the bank machine. My bank has this cool new drive through ATM. I thought to myself save time and drive on through. Not. I got up to the window all ready with my car window rolled down and bank card in hand. Well when I stuck my hand out the window I came up extremly short. I couldn't reach the key pad. Wah. It was up so high. At least for me. Must have been a tall person that invented that. I ended up having to go to the ATM inside the bank, which didn't save time at all. There have been other occassions where I've come up short. In the grocery store for instance. I find the one ingredient I'm looking for and it's on the very top shelf, pushed all the way to the back. I'm sure it must be a joke. Are there cameras on me , spying to see how I'm going to get the item down? I try to grab another item to knock what I'm after forward. I only succeed in pushing it farther back. Arrg. I then decide to wait until someone tall comes along. In my dreams it's always tall dark and handsome that comes to my rescue, helping the damsel in distress. In reality, it's usually another woman who got my share of the height genes. One of my favorite sayings is " I'm not overweight, Just under tall." Others just say I'm vertically challenged. It is a lot of fun to fantasize about a gorgeous tall dark handsome stranger comeing to my rescue in the middle of the grocery aisle. We strike up a conversation, find out we have so much in common , then he invites me for coffee and we live happily ever after. Ya in my dreams. Right now I have to just deal with being vertically challenged. That's the way the short ball bounces.

What a great big diverse world.


A song from childhood is going through my mind right now. It's a song I learned in sunday school many years ago. " Red and yellow, black and white, all are precious in his sight."
This world we live in is such a diverse place to be. Take my work place for example. In my department alone there are women from Laos, China, Vietnam, Africa, Chile, Italy, Yugoslavia, Ethiopia, Germany, Phillipines, ..... and some I'm sure I've forgotten. I find it so interesting to listen to these womens stories. A lot of heart ache, and trials. But what they have gone through has made them the strong women that they are today. Many of these women came to Canada as imigrants from refugee camps. Very hard lives filled with starvation, illness, war, torture, and uncertainty. As I sit and listen I'm filled with amazement and awe. I've had heart ache in my life but nothing compared to what most of these women have had to endure. It makes me thankful to be born in a country like Canada. We have food, warm houses, jobs, freedom of speech( sometimes too much freedom of speech) We can voice our opinions without fear of being thrown in jail. We have the freedom of choice. Lots of choice. Many of my co workers had no choice. My chinese friend had to work in her aunts hair salon at 14. She was also responsible for her other younger cousins. She had no choice. Her family couldn't afford to care for her, plus there was war happening around her. She did not have the choice of going to school at the age of 14. Her and her family did end up in a refugee camp. They became seperated. Finally in her twenties she was able to imigrate to Canada. Things still were not easy for her when she got here. She found herself in a strange, freezing country, not speaking the language, no material wealth to speak of and a single mom of a baby son. She had to find a job, take the baby on the bus to a sitter, then head to work. How tuff. I could relate to the bus in the middle of winter but not having to travel on it with a baby and groceries. 20 years later, my friend has survived. her son is grown and working. She is a strong hard working woman. I admire her. I admire all these women that I work with. They are all beautiful to me. Not a beauty on the surface, but a beauty that comes from within. These women have been given a lot in life and have accepted it. Not loving it I'm sure but chosing to rise above it. In spite of what these gorgeous women have had to endure they are still able to find humor in things. I say cheers to all my diverse co- workers. I except you for who you are , I don't judge you, and right now I'm giving you a standing Ovation.

Friday, October 14, 2005


What's in your Doctors Office?

Today I took off work because I have a cold. At my work I'm required to get a Dr. certificate if I'm off sick. It's a pain in the A.. All I want to do is stay home in my jammies with a nice cozy quilt. However I have to trudge off to the Dr. office and wait in a que. Because I wasn't feeling great I decided to go to the closest one to my home. What a mistake! I've been before , but this visit reminds me why I don't go to this office more often. I waited for about 1/2 hr. in the waiting room. Then my name was finally called. The receptionist led me down the long dark hallway to my exam room. I thanked her and settled myself into the uncomfartable chair to wait for the Dr. As I looked around the room I realized that it was absolutely filthy. Dirty splashes of something on the wall. Yuck! The floor and baseboards were caked with dirt. I thought doctors offices were about fighting germs not promoting them. I began to think that maybe it was because I clean for a living that I was being so picky. No I don't think so. As I continued to wait, I could hear the Dr. with his patient in the next room. Hmmm, paper thin walls. Could be embarrassing! I didn't mean to eaves drop, but it was inevitable. I heard the patient complaining about everything. I waited! She had pain in this spot. Symtoms in that spot. I waited! Then she began to argue with the doc. I waited! I started to get a little perturbed. I kepted saying " for heaven sake" under my breath. Then I heard the patient talk to the doc about going to India.( they were both from India) Ahhhhhhh! I waitied. Finally what seemed like an hour later I heard the Dr. bid the patient farwell. Okay my turn at last. All I needed was a Dr. certificate so I could get back to my comfy place on the couch to nurse my cold. Thankfully the doc was kind to me. Other wise I would have given him an ear full. Maybe cough on him or something. My previous experience there was a year ago and I vowed I would never go back. I was so sick! Fever, aching, coughing. All I needed was a perscription for antibiotics. Well the Doc proceeded to tell me how over weight I was and that it could lead to serious stuff. Well Duh! I know all that. Thanks doc, but I just want a perscription for my strep throat. So today when I went to this walk in clinic again I thought I must be stupid to go here again. It's kinda scary putting our trust in Doctors these days. Now I'm back home in my jammies , wrapped in my warm blankie , sipping OJ. hoping I didn't pick up anything else from that scuzzy Doctors office. I will not go back to that one again. I say that now. I hope I'm reminded before I go the next time I'm sick.
Is it Swansons tonight?
Tonight I was sitting thinking about when I was a child. It was this time of year. Around halloween actually. I was allowed to go out on my own tricker treating. I felt real grown up. I had to go with a friend though. We ended up at her house for dinner. I don't even remember the friends name. (must not have been a close friend) I only remember what we had to eat. It was a swanson TV dinner. I had never had one before, and it was very strange to me. My mom only cooked meals homemade from scratch. I kinda felt sorry for this friend that only had meals made in a factory and placed in a foiled package that you pop in the oven for 20 minutes. Her mom wasn't home just her dad, so I guess it was easy for him to feed himself and his child. The meal seemed to be well balanced, with meat, potatoes and green veggie. But I was a kid and wasn't concerned about healthy food. I think there was even dessert. My family always had our meals together at the table. At this girls house we didn't sit around the table, but in front of the TV at TV trays. It was like I was on another planet. Only because it was something I had never experienced before. I wondered if this was the norm. Did this family always eat like this? Fast forward 30 some years. I'm all too familiar with the frozen meals that come in a plastic, cardboard microwavable container. They really are fast, and I know the Swansons family have improved the contents over the years. I even sit in front of the TV and eat my meals all the time. It's only cuz I'm alone. And I'm lazy. I don't always have the TV dinners. It's not too often that I will buy them. But whenever I do, I think of my first experience. Then I think of the times around the dinner table with family and all the conversation and laughter we shared. I wouldn't trade that for the world.

Thursday, October 13, 2005


I had a wonderful thanksgiving long weekend. Saturday I was so lazy. I slepted in late and had a real pajama day. I even had a nap in the afternoon. It was lovely! Sunday, I again was a lady of leisure. I slepted late ( missed church) I think God will forgive me? All weekend I felt like I was getting the flu, so I think what I needed was lots of sleep. We'll go with that. I did want to sleep a lot though. My theory is, if I'm tired, sleep! (If I can) Except when I'm at work , or when I'm driving a car! Any other time go for it.
Sunday was fun. The family got together at grandma and grandpa Miller's for turkey. Except for Jen , Jordan, and Abby. We missed you guys, but understand that you were busy, and couldn't join us.
We had great fun just relaxing, playing games, visiting. I enjoyed myself very much. My sister Peggy and I got really silly. We always manage to have a giggle whenever we get together. I have come to realize that my family has a warped sense of humor.

Peggy and I ended up in the kitchen doing dishes. I washed she dried. It was a flash back to when were kids growing up. Only we weren't fighting over a spot on a dish. Instead we were feeling quite goofy. Sister said to me" I don't know where these things go" That's when I got this hair brained idea that we should play hide the dishes. As I would pass her an item to dry, I'd say " here, put this under the pillows." So she'd set off toward mom and dad's bedroom with a pot lid and she'd be tee heeing all the way. Mom was none the wiser as she went about her business of putting leftovers away. By the end of our dish duty, we had spoons in the cheese drawer, juice jug in the linen closet, and cutlery in dad's sock drawer.

At one point mom asked us what we were laughing about. I came up with some lame excuse and mom said it was just great to hear her girls laugh together. Little did she know. We thought we were so clever playing a trick on our parents. They'd be finding misplaced dishes for days. It wasn't til later that our game kinda back fired on us. While we were playing a good game of dice, Peggy's young son Brian said he was hungry and wanted a peanut butter and jelly bun. So Peggy set off to the kitchen to make her darlin boy a snack. It was only seconds of her being gone when I heard giggles coming from the other room. She returned and whispered to me" all the knives are in dad's drawer". Well once again came forth gales of laughter. Not too long after that dad came walking out of his bedroom holding a handful of cutlery, asking " who put these in my sock drawer?" Oh Oh busted. It was lots of fun getting silly and acting like children.

I hope everyone else had a fun and happy thanksgiving.

Monday, October 10, 2005


Rude Awakening!


It was the middle of the night. I'm sleeping so comfortably. Off in the distance I hear sirens, trying to disturb me from my dreams. Usually I can ignore them and stay tucked in my warm bed. These sirens were getting too close to ignore. Way too close. I could see the lights flashing on my ceiling. Of course by this time I have to get up and investigate. Gotta make sure it's not my building the sirens are coming for. I don't smell smoke. I look outside and parked in front of my building are 4 fire trucks, an ambulance and a couple of police cars. Oh no! Do I get out? Do I grab my keys and run? I don't hear the fire alarm going off in my building." Don't panic" I tell myself. I take another look out my window . The fire brigade are not coming to my building. They are heading across the street. I still dont see flames or smoke. Nobody seems to be in too much of a hurry. People are slowly filing out of the apartment building across from me. I continue to monitor the situation. After a few minutes one fire truck leaves, then another. Pretty soon, the ambulance takes off. I can safely assume it was a false alarm. This is where the rude awakening comes in to play. If it was a real emergency it would not be rude at all. It got me thinking. What causes a false alarm like that? Is it someone sleep walking ,dreaming there is a fire, and they pull the fire alarm? Is it someone coming home drunk and they think it would be funny to play a trick? Perhaps it's a malfunction in the electrical? I feel sorry for the men and women on emergency response teams. They have to jump to attention in a flash. Pull all their gear on in a moments notice. And in the middle of the wee hours to boot. Race at high speeds, only to find when they get to their destination, it's nothing. Don't get me wrong. I was very glad that it was nothing. I just don't get this false alarm stuff in the middle of the night. Perhaps fire fighter Paul Payette can shed some light on this subject for me. By the way Mr. Paul Payette my hats off to you. I'm sure you have had your share of false alarms in your career as a fire fighter. But I also appreciate you being on call for the real deal too. I did get back to sleep eventually. It did take awhile though.

Thursday, October 06, 2005

Pants Falling Down


I've mentioned that I'm on weight watchers. Last week ( 1st week ) was good. I
lost weight. Today I was feeling pretty terrific about myself. I had energy and
my jeans were feeling loose. Really loose! I started to get excited. Wow! This
diet really works. But surely not so fast as for me to feel like my pants are
falling off. Could that be possible? Maybe. I put the thought of diet and
weight loss out of my mind, and tried to focus on my tasks at hand. I went into
a cadets room to do some cleaning. I like to stand back and inspect my work to
make sure I don't miss anything. As my eyes scanned up over the sink then the
mirror, I caught a glimpse of myself. I let out a horrified gasp. It was then I
came to realize the reason for my drooping drawers. No wonder people were
looking at me strangely as they passed by me. My fly was open, exposing my big,
blue, flowered undies for all the world to see. How embarrassing! In the future, if it
feels like my clothing is loose, you can be sure I'm going to check and see if
I'm properly put together.


Shy Girl


Wednesday, October 05, 2005


Today I to said goodbye to a good friend. We were close this friend and I. Ours was a relationship of true comfort. We'd hang out any time just watching T.V. Many times we'd cook or clean together. My friend would always be there to welcome me, which was so nice, especially if I had a bad day. Lately this friend has let me down big time! So it is great sadness that I must say goodbye.

I'm talking about my favorite pair of sweat pants. Family and close friends, you know the ones of which I speak. You've seen me in them on many occasions. (never out of the house though) .You've probably wondered to yourselves " what is she thinking wearing those hideous pants." Well they were sooo comfortable. I've gotten good use out of them over the last 10 years or so. Even when they were filled with holes ,I still wore them. Even when the elastic waist band finally gave out , I still wore them. I think I'm ready to let them go. After all why should we keep things around when they are no longer dependable.

It feels kinda strange. What's appropriate for an occasion such as this? Do I say a few words?
Do I pause for a moment of silence? Before you start thinking I've gone totally mad, ....wait! I know many of you have , or have had a particular piece of clothing that you absolutely love. It may be a shirt, pants, or underwear that makes you feel so good, like you're getting a big hug whenever you wear it. If you do ,then I'm sure you can sympathize with me. Don't worry family, I haven't completely snapped! There were no words, ceremonies, or moments of silence. I just walked them gingerly to the garbage without looking back. I must admit I did save a few pieces of the lovely pink fabric for cleaning rags. It just won't be the same.

Sunday, October 02, 2005

Biggest............Loser

My sister and I have joined the WWC. No it's not World Wrestling. Although at times it feels like a wrestling match. I'm talking about Weight Watchers of Canada. We've been at it for one week only. So far so good. Peggy doesn't need to lose much, but I'm grateful for the partner. We started walking as well. Only half hr. to begin with, 3 times a week. I'm so out of shape! When we walk she does most of the talking as I puff along beside her. The more we walk the better it will be. One of my goals is to be able to walk and talk at the same time without gasping for air.(it's a good goal) I decided I want to be just like Oprah. She didn't reach her peak of fitness and weight loss until she was in her late 40s early 50s. I think she looks pretty good. So I figure I still have at least a year to reach my weight loss challenge. I'm determined to be the biggest loser.


Stationary Bike Weighing





Saturday, October 01, 2005



Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of year. It's all about getting together as family and enjoying a nice cooked Turkey dinner with all the fixings. I loved the time our whole family went to my brother John's for thanksgiving. It was 2001. The leaves were on the ground. The air was nice a fallish. All of the family went for a walk and we had family photos done outside in the leaves. I loved that so much. Even our little granny was covered in leaves. ( She was 88 at the time) She looked so cute all covered in crisp, golden leaves. She is proof that you're never too old to kick back and act like a kid. I hope that when I get to be her age I can act young and silly with my grandchildren. Granny your my hero and I adore you.

I always think my life is so boring! I'm alone. I have a full time job that I go to most everyday . I work, come home and relax,
eat dinner, watch a bit of TV and then off to bed. Get up next day and do it all over again. I do this 5 days a week. See, sounds boring doesn't it? I need to spice it up a little( a lot). Stuff that happens at work is not so boring though. I have this fabulous friend that I work with. She's from Africa and is one of the most beautiful women I know. I love her African accent. She has 5 children and is living as a single mom right now. Her husband is stuck in Africa trying to get over here. They have been trying for over 4 years to get him sponsored to Canada, so he can be with his family. I don't know what the hold up is? I know it will be a big celebration when the day comes and Rama is finally here. Any way I sit in the lunch room and visit with my wonderful African friend, and she tells me things that are going on in her life. Busy girl ( 5 kids). Working full time, then running her children to and from school and appointments. She wants to get another job so she can be able to travel. She has invited me to go with her to Africa next year for a month. Wow. what an adventure that would be. I would love to go. But as I listen to her busy life I feel tired and am thankful for my mundane boring life some times. I am thinking of going Africa though. I would love to go and experience new cultures and see more of this wonderful world that God created.

Some times I feel nervous about trying new things. I know I need to step out of my comfort zone. Take a risk and and go for it.